Pipe connector

ABSTRACT

A pipe connector comprising a body having a bore for receiving an end portion of a pipe, said bore having a first groove which co-operates with a groove provided on the pipe, a passageway which extends from the groove to the exterior of the body and through which a retaining rod or wire is pushed so as to be received in the grooves to retain the body on the pipe, said bore also having a groove in which a sealing ring is received, the groove having a side wall which is inclined relative to the axis of the bore and a template for determining the length of the retaining rod or wire.

This invention relates to a pipe connector which preferably serves toconnect a pipe to another pipe or pipes or to a device to be suppliedwith fluid conveyed through the pipe. However, the term "pipe connector"is also intended to include within its scope a member for blanking-offan end of a pipe.

In the domestic field there are many different forms of pipe connectorswhich are used with copper pipes. Some of the known connectors rely onthe use of solder to form a seal between the pipe and the connector,whilst other known connectors rely on the use of nipples which areclamped between the pipe and the connector. Such connectors are onlysuitable for use with pipes which contain fluid at relatively lowpressure and cannot be used in high pressure systems. There is a needfor a pipe connector which has more universal use and can be used bothfor low pressure and high pressure systems and which is mechanicallyconnected to the pipe.

It is known from GB No. 2014274A, GB No. 1308186 and U.S. Pat. No.1,464,386 to secure two concentric members together by providing themembers with circumferential grooves which co-operate one with the otherto form a circular channel in which is inserted a retaining or lockingwire.

The present invention provides a pipe connector which utilizes the knownlocking system having a wire received in co-operating grooves. However,I have found that to apply the known locking system to a pipe connectorproduces problems due to the fact that copper tubing and pipe connectorsare not generally manufactured to fine tolerances. If the outer diameterof the pipe is a slack fit within the bore of the connector then theeffective cross-sectional area of the channel formed by co-operatinggrooves is larger than desired and the locking wire when receivedtherein can expand radially resulting in the mechanical connectionbetween the pipe and the connector being weak as the locking wire willnot be seated in the bottom of the groove provided on the pipe. If onthe other hand the co-operating grooves are not of exact dimensions theycan result in forming a channel whose cross-sectional area is such thatthe wire has an interferance fit therein and then difficulty isexperienced in inserting the wire into the channel and this can resultin damage being caused to the wire and/or channel.

According to the present invention there is provided a pipe connectorcomprising a body having a bore for receiving an end portion of a pipe,said bore being provided with a first circumferentially extending groovearranged to co-operate with a circumferentially extending grooveprovided on the exterior of said end portion of a pipe, a passagewayprovided in said body and extending from said first groove to theexterior of said body, a second circumferentially extending grooveprovided in said bore, a sealing ring disposed in said second groove forsealing engagement with the exterior of a said end portion of a pipe,said first groove when co-operating with a groove on the end portion ofa pipe forming therewith a channel in which a retaining rod or wire isinserted by being passed through said passageway, said first groovehaving a side wall which is inclined to the axis of the bore.

Preferably said side wall is inclined at 25°-35° to the axis of thebore.

The first groove preferably has its other side wall extending at a rightangle to the axis of the bore and a base wall which extends parallel tothe axis of the bore.

The ends of the passageway are preferably provided with recesses servingas lead-in guides for the retaining rod or wire.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way ofexamples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a connector according to thepresent invention shown connected to one pipe,

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tool for use in removing the lockingwire or rod,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of a tool for inserting a locking wireor rod,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a tool for producing a groove in a pipe,

FIG. 6 is a side view of a pipe assembly showing different forms ofconnectors,

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a locking wire or pin prior to use, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a template for checking the length of alocking wire or pin in relation to the diameter of pipe.

The connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a straight connector forconnecting two pipes in end to end relationship and comprises a body 10formed of suitable material, such as brass or stainless steel. The body10 is provided with two axially aligned bores 11 which terminate at andare interconnected through a radially inwardly directed flange 12. Eachbore 11 is provided with a peripherally extending groove 13 in which isreceived a sealing ring 14 formed of rubber or other suitable resilientmaterial. Each bore 11 is also provided with a peripherally extendinggroove 15 having a side wall 16 which extends at a right angle to theaxis of the bore 11 and a side wall 17 which is inclined to the axis ofthe bore 11. The angle of inclination of the wall 17 is preferablebetween 25° and 35°. The base 18 of the groove 15 is flat and liesparallel to the axis of the bore 11. The body 10 is provided with apassageway 19 which extends between the groove 15 and the outer surfaceof the body 10. As shown in FIG. 2 the ends of the passageway 19 areprovided at diametrically opposed locations with recesses 20 whichdefine lead-in guides for a locking wire or rod 21. Each bore 11receives an end portion of a pipe 22 which may be formed of copper. Theend portion of the pipe 22 is provided on its outer surface with acircumferentially extending groove 23 which when the end of the pipe 22abuts the flange 12 is aligned with the groove 15 and defines therewitha channel 24 into which is inserted the locking wire or rod 21 which ispartly received in the groove 15 and partly in the groove 23. Thelocking wire or rod 21 initially comprises a straight rod having at oneend a head portion 25 as shown in FIG. 7 and the length of the rod 21 issuch that when inserted into the channel 24 the head portion 25 remainsin the passageway 19 and the remainder extends substantially completelyaround the channel 24. The head portion 25 is preferably greater in sizethan the cross-section of the channel 24 to ensure that the head portion25 cannot pass into the channel 24. There is therefore a relationshipbetween the length of the locking wire of rod 21 and the diameter of thepipe 22. In order to ensure that a locking wire or rod 21 of the correctlength if used the user can be provided with a template 26 as shown inFIG. 8. The template 26 comprises a rectangular plate 27 having at leaston one side face a plurality of grooves 28, the length of each groove 28corresponding to the length of a locking wire or rod 21 required for usewith a pipe of a particular diameter which is indicated on the face ofthe plate 27 at the end of each groove 28. Thus the template 26 can beused to check the length of a locking wire or rod 21 by inserting thewire or rod 21 into the groove 28 corresponding with the diameter ofpipe being connected.

By having the cross-section of the groove 15 shaped as shown in thedrawing the cross-sectional area of the resulting channel 24 is greaterthan that of the wire or rod 21 apart from its head portion 25 whichresults in the wire or rod 21 being easily insertable into the channel24 without causing damage to the wire or rod 21 and/or the channel 24.By having the wall 17 inclined the wire or rod 21 is forced towards thegroove 23 so as to seat in the groove 23 and any tendency for the pipe22 to move out of the connector results in the wire or rod 21 being heldin the groove 23. Therefore even if the connector and the pipe are notmanufactured to fine tolerances the wire or rod 21 is urged into seatingcontact with the bottom of the groove 23 and the mechanical connectionbetween the connector and the pipe 22 is not impaired.

The pipe 22 can be removed from the connector by removing the wire orrod 21 by means of a removal tool 29 as shown in FIG. 3. The tool 29 hasat one end a circular portion 30 having a slot 31 therein. The portion30 can be placed around the portion of the wire or rod 21 in thepassageway 19 and engaged under the head portion 25 and then by using ahandle 32 the tool 29 can be used to pull the wire or rod 21 out throughthe passageway 19.

The wire or rod 21 can be inserted by means of an inserting tool 33 asshown in FIG. 4 which comprises a tube 34 in which is received a plunger35 loaded by a spring 36, the plunger 35 and head end of the tube 34being received in a tube 37 connected to a handle 38. In use the wire orrod 21 is placed in the tube 34 with the head portion 25 against theplunger 35. The outer end of the tube 34 is placed into the passageway19 and the handle 38 depressed to cause the plunger 35 to movedownwardly against the force of the spring 36, thus pushing the wire orrod 21 into the channel 24.

The groove 23 in the pipe 22 is formed by a grooving tool 39 as shown inFIG. 5 which consists of a bar member 40 having at one end an upstandingwall portion 41 in which is mounted a circular rotatable grooving tool42 and at its other end with an upstanding wall portion 43 through whichextends a screw-threaded rod 44 connected to a slide member 45 providedwith backing rollers 46. The pipe 22 to be grooved is placed between thegrooving tool 42 and the rollers 46 and the tool 39 is rotated about thepipe 22 whilst at the same time the slide member 45 is adjusted towardsthe pipe 22.

The connector can take many different forms as shown in FIG. 6, such asa straight connector 47, an elbow connector 48, a branch connector 49, areducer 50 or a threaded coupling 51. A blanking member (not shown) maybe provided to close off an end of a pipe, the blanking member beingconnected to the pipe in the manner described above.

I claim:
 1. A pipe connector comprising a body having a bore forreceiving an end portion of a pipe, said bore being provided with afirst circumferentially extending groove arranged to co-operate with acircumferentially extending groove provided on the exterior of said endportion of the pipe, a passageway provided in said body and extendingfrom said first groove to the exterior of said body, a secondcircumferentially extending groove provided in said bore, a sealing ringdisposed in said second groove for sealing engagement therewith and withthe exterior of said end portion of the pipe, said first groove whenco-operating with the groove on said end portion of the pipe formingtherewith a channel in which a retaining rod or wire is inserted bybeing passed through said passageway, and said first groove having sidewall means which is inclined relative to the axis of the bore to holdthe rod or wire in the co-operating groove thereby to provide an axialinterference preventing withdrawal of said end portion of the pipe fromthe connector; in combination with a template for determining the lengthof the retaining rod or wire, said template comprising a plate having aplurality of grooves, the length of each groove corresponding to thelength of a retaining wire or rod required for use with a pipe of aparticular diameter.
 2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid side wall means is inclined at 25° to 35° to the axis of the bore.